LOCAL AMD GENERAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3017, 2 March 1917, Page 4

LOCAL AMD GENERAL

Two Duiieilin nii'ii wore arrested as deserters yesforday, iiud wctp handed, over 1.0 the military authorities.--pJ'Of-3 AswctStiuil;

Ro'kiiors of the Kew Zealand Roinrorcomenln have been in I.lk* habit, of woaring unauthorised badges whilst, in imilorin, e.g., badges of Ilio Legion of Frontiorsiuoli and National llescrvoi etc. Routine orders drawing tho attention oTnIJ ranks to this matter, and. the wearing of such unauthorised budges must cease. Tlio badge of tho Returned Soldiers' Association may bo worn on. walking-out dress only, and not when on duty.

Out of 103 men examinnd at Kapicr bv the Medical Hoard on Tuesday and AVedncrday 53 were passed as fit for aotivo service, telegraphs our iSapier correspondent.

Uvery year the Chief City Inspector (Mh James Doyle) conducts a ralo of liniM.-iimcHl articles left in the city t.ninicard. This sale took place on Wednesday, and as a result, of the sale of a- 'miscellaneous collection of bags, hooks, walking-sticks, umbrellas, and purses, tho sum of £.1.3 10s. was realised. About ono of tho articles sold Mr. Doylo tolls a good story. About twenty-six years ago ho bought a seeondJiaiid gladstono bag for 4s. Cd. As time wore on the bag became shabbier and shabbier, until bis wit'o complained about, her husband being seen in its company. So persistent were her protests that, one day ho deliberately loft the a<;ed relic on one of the cars. During tho sale on AA'ednesdav old bacrs hung fire. "Hero we aro! said Jfr. Doyle, "a good collection of i, a .tr S —now iii groat demand. Nothing like leather! AVhat am J. bid?" Aβ he was bid nothing, ho added hrsfc one bae and then another until he had six itTthe lot. "Here you are-sis.good. ba"s. Give mo a bid. I'll Wl you wlmt I'll do—l'll "tart tho bidding With a. shilling!" But there wero m inoro bids, and when Mr. Doyle looired over his purchase he found Jus old ba<* amongst them. At the rate lie bad paid for the lot it had cost him twopence. The AVcsley Training College .scheme, which involves tho expenditure of £20,000, has been, held up because of the war Parliament empowered the authorities to sell tlm land in tlio suburbs of Auckland whore tho college has been established, and it is intended to re-establish the college in a rural district, so that tho lads may ! havo a good practical training _ m ! farming. The farm land comprises I 700 acres, and is located at 1 aorata, about 28 miles from Auckland.

At an inquest held yesterday by Mr. W G Riddell, S.M., concerning the death of Robert Cowio, the evidence showed that deceased's body had been found in one of tho outhouses of tho Enipiro Hotel on Tuesday evening. A post-mortem examination was held by Dr lfyffe, who considered the causo ot death to be syncope. A verdict was returned accordingly.

Brigadier-General G. S. Richardson, in charge of the N.Z. Forces in England, has written the following letter to Commissioner H. C. Hodder, of tlio Salvation Army:—"Dear sir,—l dosiro to thank you and your organisation for tho help given in connection with the work of assisting tho soldiers of the Now Zealand Expeditionary Forces m England. Chaplain Greene, who represents you, is in my office, and has done and is still doing' admirable work. Whenever small funds aro needed to alleviate suffering, he responds most readily, after satisfying himself that the expenditure is justified, and he has helped many , a snldier and assisted their relatives when necessary.' The Salvation Army is doing an enormous amount of good work in England, although it does not appear to bo as fully advertised as some other organisations. What I wish vou to ieel is that any funds sent to Caplain Greene aro judiciously expended by him in consultation with myself, iiiid that wo appreciate your kindness and helD."

As showing the mildness, and also the dampness of tho season, says the Gisborno "Times," the usual spectaclo of seeds sprouting on sheep's backs was observed on a sheep station. Tho sheep, which were in full wool, had 1 been grazing at a stack containing burr clover, and some of tho burrs had clung to tho wool. It was this seed which had sprouted, and when tho sheep wore yarded many were noticed with a distinct tingo of green on their wool.

Speaking to a southorn reporter, Mr. W. J). Hunt said that the principal work at present engaging the attention of the Industrial Efficiency Board is the arranging for the appointment of trustees available to manage the businesses and farms of men going to the front whore such men are, not an a position to make private arrangements.

Ab the Methodist Conference yesterday, on tho discussion of. the Theological College and the training; of students, great stress was placed on the importance of including elocution as a compulsory subject, and the hoard of management was directed to give its attention to the matter.

At last evening's meeting of tho Onslow Borough Council, the Mayor, Mr. 0. 0. Crump, mentioned that ho had received from Mr. W. A. Patersou (KlwndaUah) the sum of •£.!, to bo liamlc-.l over to the Belgian Fund. Tlio aioney was tho gift of Mr. ratersou's ehilcjien, who bad saved their pennies with the laudable object of iissistni" tho fund. The council dcc.i'ldd to" send a lotler of thanks to tho children in recognition of their generous spirit.

A remarkable disappearance of a bather is engaging the attention of the Sydney police. About 11 a.m. on February 1 a priost visited the, men's TibLh's at Coogec, hired a costume, and entered the water, which was at low tide, tho doopost part of the baths lining about 4ft. 6in. 'IVo other swimmers saw the priest hanging on to a rope at the end of the baths, and one of them spoko to him. They came out of the baths shortly afterwards, leaving tho priest as the sole occupant. He was never seen afterwards. A search was made, and clothing found in the sheds pro veil that it belonged to the Rev. Father Donnelly, assistant priost at Tomora. Ho bad arrived in Sydney on furlough, and was staying with friends. The Ramlwiek police took charge of tbe missing man's clothing and searched for tins body.'

At f.lio Methodist Couforonce yeslorday the fiiiostion of tho enlistment of ministers and homo missionaries was considered in eommitioo. A special cojDinitti'i! had snbmitlotl a series of resolutions for tho adoption of_ conference, and after a protracted discussion the resolutions were referred back to tho committee for further consideration. Tho Wairarapa Patriotic Association has decided to make- right of service "ranis to-tho uoxt-of-kiu of Wairarupsi" hoirliors killed at tho front. , "I think wo aro possibly going 100 far in this matter," remarked Uμ Mayor of Mount ISd'oti (Mr. 0. Nicholson) when several applications for remission of rates by persons who had enlisted came beforo tho council. Mr. Nicholson stated that tho Government had miidu provision for such rases, oven to the extent of paying £2 n. week over thn man's pay, and lo mini I tins ratvs whs merely relieving thn (.iovernniejil of such payment. The council decided to adhere k> its policy of remitting half rates for the current year, but to reconsider the matter in 'regard Jα next jear's rates,

The delegates attending I lie various newspaper conferences now in progress in Wellington, will be tho guests this morning of the City Council, journeying over tho <:it,v tram lines in an observation car, leaving thn post office at 9.30, and in lho afternoon will bo entertained by the local proprietors at a. Harbour excursion per s.s. Duchess, leaving tlm ferry wharf at 2.30 p.m. A list of the pulling places for the Hawke's May by-oledion is published in tile, tfassetto issued last, night. The principal polling booth, is at the. municipal buildings, in. Hastings.

A number of persons who paid income tax Inst month are expressing some surprise at. the receipt this week of fresh income tax demands (says tlio "Otago Daily Times"). Kor their iiifovnifition (continues tbo pa.per) it. may bo explained that under tho Financo Act, J. 916, an additional income tax 33 payable by them this year, assessed at the rate of sixpence in the pound upon assessable incomes not exceeding £900, and at tho rato of a shilling in the pound in all other cases, after tho deduction of any amount payable as excess profits duty. The income tas so far collected has been that assessed, at the ralo which was in forco last year.

' Through traffic on the .Kaipara. railway line is still blocked by the slip at'AVoodcocks tunnel (says Tuesday's Auckland "HoraJd")- The Railway Department expects to have- the remaining dobris removed by about Thursday, bui this will not altogether relieve the situation. U will thereafter bo necessary to ballast about a. milo of tho track between Hotco and AVayby. At that point, during tho recent, floods, the line was covered with Bft. of water, and all tho ballast was, of course, washed away, rendering tho lino iinsafo tor traffic. Owing to the suspension of the through trains, some of the settlers and residents north of Kaiikapakapa ha,ve been cut off from obtaining supplies of food and stores, which aro now -beginning to mu short-

Some valuable advice to young men entering upon practice at tho Bar was given at the Auckland Supreme Court by Sir. Justico Cooper, in. tho courso or tho hearing ot several motions for admission as solicitors. His Honour said the candidates' conduct must lie regulated by tho higheet motives. Ho impressed ou them tho necessity for living a strictly upright, honest life. The candidates for admission wcro ronmided that their education was not complete with tho passing of their solicitor's examinations. They should continue their reading and studies, and seek a constant acquaintance with matters that would be useful to them in their profession.

It was stated at the Supreme Court in Auckland, at the hearing of a motion for the admission as a, solicitor of Mr. Alfred Burton Roe Mossman (Mr. E. C. Blomfield), that he had passed his solicitor's examinations since coming back from tho war. Mr. Blomfield statod thatvMr. Mossraan had enlisted early in the war, and saw considerable service on Gallipoli Peninsula. Mr. Justice Cooper congratulated the candidate on having passed his examinations since his return from the front. Such an achievement was all the more to his credit, seeing that his experiences_ as a soldier may have caused a physical and a mental strain which would disturb his studies. His Honour also cougratulnted Mr. Mossman on having; offered his services to his King and country.

Since the enlargement oF the AVelliugton Education Board district the membership of the board has heen increased, and it has been found necessary to improvo tho accommodation for them in the board room. This has beon done hy providing a handsome and convenient tahle, horseshoe in shape, whilst the chairman is accommodated at a smaller tablo between the two ends of the horseshoe. Tho improvement was favourably commented on hy members at yesterday's meeting, i Captain J. W. Niesigh, acting for the New South Wales Government as organising secretary of the Press Congress of the World, to ho held iu Sydney in March, 1918, has heen in Wellington for some days, during which time he has been making the best use of his time in his endeavour to interest newspaper people in tho Press Congress. Ho has addressed tho Newspaper Proprietors' Association, and ho has met members of the Press Conferences that havo been sitting here during tho week. In all quarters his invitation to New Zealand newspaper owners and journalists to participate in tho congress has been received with notable cordiality. Yesterday afternoon Captain Niesigh addressed a party of working journalists of Wellington, explaining; very fully tho purposes and scope of the congress and i its various scotional conferences.

From time to time thero have been complaints, some of them recent, about tho non-delivery of letters and parceia to soldiers on service. A Wellington soldier, in a letter to his parents, declares that ho has no complaints as to the delivery of letters or newspapers, and that ha can account with certainty for all save one of tho letters sent by his peoplo at home. He goes oil to say: "The letter mail is absolutely'satisfactory, and I have nothing to complain about. The paper mail is prett? fair too, as a general thing. The parcel mail is, however, not so satisfactory. I don't know whore they got to, bu4 a lot of tho parcels .don't got to their destinations. Of courso the post office chaps geb blamed a lot for it, but I don't altogether agree with that. Some of l.ho parcels might biivo tho addresses lorn off, or Ibey might burst, open. And then, of course, they will liofc semi parcels all over tho country after anyiinf as they will a letter. These reasons will not account, for all of them, though. Most of the chaps don't mind losing tho parcels so much, but they think it is a shame after all the trouble neople have taken to send them, and the lot ! it costs for postage, that they can only write and say they haven't got tbe parcels." Dr. A. K. Newman.. M.P., wlio has j just roturned 1 from a lengthy visit to I ICnglaud, will spon-k on his obsorvaI tions and impressions at the front, at a public lecture in tho Town Uall on Tuesday evening next. Tho proceeds of the lecture are to bo donated to the fund for tho Soldiers' Social Club *t Trentlmm.